| Fallopia baldschuanica | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Core eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Polygonaceae |
| Genus: | Fallopia |
| Species: | F. baldschuanica |
| Binomial name | |
| Fallopia baldschuanica (Regel) Holub |
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| Synonyms | |
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Bilderdykia aubertii |
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Fallopia baldschuanica (syn. Fallopia aubertii, Polygonum baldschuanicum) is a species of flowering plant in the knotweed family known by several common names, including Russian vine,[1] Bukhara fleeceflower, Chinese fleecevine, mile-a-minute and silver lace vine. It is native to Asia, particularly western China and Tibet, and it can be found growing wild in parts of Europe and North and Central America as an introduced species. It is grown as an ornamental plant for its flower-laced vines, and it is a fast-growing plant that is grown widely as cover for unsightly fences and other garden structures. However, it has the capacity to become an invasive species by spreading beyond its intended limits. The white flowers are decorative and provide nectar and pollen for the honey bee.
Contents |
This is a vining plant with woody, climbing stems known to reach at least ten meters (about 30 feet) in length. The pointed oval or nearly triangular leaves are up to ten centimeters long and borne on petioles. The inflorescence is an open array of narrow, branching, drooping or spreading clusters of white flowers, each cluster reaching a maximum of 15 centimeters long. Flowers hang on short pedicels. Each five-lobed flower is just under a centimeter long and white to greenish or pale pink, sometimes turning bright pink as the fruit develops. The fruit is a shiny black achene about 2 millimeters wide.